Amco Cup

The Amco Cup (subsequently known by various other sponsors' names including the Tooth Cup, KB Cup, National Panasonic Cup and Panasonic Cup) was a mid-week rugby league competition held in Australia between 1974 and 1989. The format was usually a straight knock-out, but various group formats were used between 1979 and 1982. It aired on Channel Ten with Ray Warren and Keith Barnes the commentators for many years. The concept was created by Colin McLennan.

History Promoter Colin McLennan, who also brought to Australia the jazz legend Benny Goodman and comedians Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, was the man who brought the mid-week Cup to life. The competition was essentially a "made for TV" event, featuring 4 x 20-minute quarters and a penalty countback rule in the event of a draw. Matches were played under floodlights, usually on a Wednesday evening. Initially Leichhardt Oval in Sydney was the main venue, though later matches were played at Lang Park in Brisbane, Parramatta Stadium and various country centres in New South Wales. The competition was scrapped after the increasingly professional clubs resented the additional burdens on their players caused by the mid-week games. In 1990 it was replaced by a preseason challenge cup played for only by the Sydney Rugby League premiership teams.

Naming rights sponsors Amco Cup (1974–79) Tooth Cup (1980–81) KB Cup (1982–83) National Panasonic Cup (1984–87) Panasonic Cup (1988–89)

Participating teams Year Team/s NSW City QLD City NSW Country QLD Country NSW Division 2 New Zealand State/Territory PNG 1974 21 All 12 – All 7 except Newcastle – Ryde-Eastwood Auckland – – 1975 28 All 12 Fortitude Valley,Norths,Past Brothers,Souths All 8 Ipswich,Toowoomba Ryde-Eastwood Auckland – – 1976 35 All 12 All 7 except Wynnum Manly All 8 All 4 exceptCentral Queensland,Gold Coast Ryde-Eastwood Auckland, Canterbury N.T – 1977 37 All 12 All 8 All 8 All 5 exceptGold Coast – Auckland, Canterbury N.T, W.A. – 1978 38 All 12 All 8 All 8 All 6 – Auckland, Wellington N.T, W.A. – 1979 16 All 12 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – Auckland – – 1980 16 All 12 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – Auckland – – 1981 16 All 12 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – Central Districts – – 1982 18 All 14 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – South Island – – 1983 18 All 14 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – Central Districts – – 1984 17 All 13 Brisbane New South WalesCountry QueenslandCountry – Auckland – – 1985 16 All 13 Brisbane New South WalesCountry – – Auckland – – 1986 17 All 13 Brisbane New South WalesCountry – – – W.A. Port Moresby 1987 20 All 13 Brisbane New South WalesCountry – – – N.T, S.A., Victoria, W.A. Port Moresby 1988 19 All 16 Brisbane New South WalesCountry – – – – Port Moresby 1989 19 All 16 Brisbane New South WalesCountry – – – – Port Moresby

Champions by Year Year Winners Score Runners-up Venue Crowd1974 Western Division 6-2 Penrith Leichhardt Oval 16,0001975 Eastern Suburbs 17-7 Parramatta Leichhardt Oval 18,9071976 Balmain 21-7 North Sydney Leichhardt Oval 21,6701977 Western Suburbs 6-5 Eastern Suburbs Leichhardt Oval 15,3501978 Eastern Suburbs 16-4 St. George Leichhardt Oval 14,0001979 Cronulla 22-5 Brisbane Leichhardt Oval 15,8001980 Parramatta 8-5 Balmain Leichhardt Oval 17,8291981 South Sydney 10-2 Cronulla Leichhardt Oval 23,0791982 Manly 23-8 Newtown Leichhardt Oval 14,4901983 Manly 26-6 Cronulla Leichhardt Oval 15,0861984 Brisbane 12-11 Eastern Suburbs Leichhardt Oval 13,0001985 Balmain 14-12 Cronulla Leichhardt Oval 15,0001986 Parramatta 32-16 Balmain Leichhardt Oval 15,8391987 Balmain 14-12 Penrith Parramatta Stadium 16,8231988 St. George 16-8 Balmain Parramatta Stadium 22,1911989 Brisbane 22-20 Illawarra Parramatta Stadium 16,698

Most NSWRL Midweek Cup Titles

Club Titles Years wonBalmain31976, 1985, 1987Easts (Sydney)21975, 1978Parramatta21980, 1986Manly21982, 1983Western Division11974Wests (Sydney)11977Cronulla11979Souths (Sydney)11981Brisbane (Capitals)11984St. George11988Brisbane (Broncos)11989

Cup and Premiership in the same season Easts in 1975. Parramatta in 1986.

Amco Cup

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